Despite the fact that appendicitis is one of the most frequent surgical pathology in children, its clinical management is still debated. Previous reports have shown rate of appendectomy in children without appendicitis up to 30 %. Morbidity, due to infectious complications or intestinal obstruction, is often between 5 and 10 % of published cases, and increase medical and social costs. Evidence-based medicine concept could therefore be worthwhile in that context, in order to promote rational diagnosis and treatment of that frequent medical condition.An algorithm describing management of children with suspicion of appendicitis was established, based on recent published data, in order to reduce delay between first clinical signs and confirmation of the diagnosis, and to define therapeutic indication such as conservative management and interval appendectomy or patient requiring laparoscopic approach. The main objective of the study is to decrease morbidity and unnecessary appendectomy rates, and secondly to decrease costs, by the use of that algorithm.

Randomisation will apply to the 8 participating centers as follow: During a first survey period of 6 month, the algorithm is not applied; The six following months, 4 randomised centers applied the algorithm, the others being still survey; The six last month, all centers will apply the algorithm

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

4 Years to 15 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

male and female children, between 4 and 15 years-old, with more than 37,5°C of body temperature during the 3 days before hospital admission, and with abdominal pain located in right or median lower quadrant

Exclusion Criteria:

children coming from another hospital, children with septic choc, children with co-morbidity in interaction with algorithm (antibiotics allergy, mellitus diabetes, haemostasis disturbance, …)

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01067937

Locations

France

WEIL Dominique

Angers, France, 49000

DE VRIES Philine

Brest, France, 29200

PETIT Thierry

Caen, France, 14033

PODEVIN Guillaume

Nantes, France, 44093

MCHEIK Jiad

Poitiers, France, 86021

AZZIS Olivier

Rennes, France, 35033

GARIGNON Cynthia

Saint-Brieuc, France, 22027

LARDY Hubert

Tours, France, 37044

Sponsors and Collaborators

Nantes University Hospital

More Information

No publications provided

Responsible Party:

General Director, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes University Hospital